Sengol’s a tradition that goes back to Mahabharata and Harappan... (My article in Firstpost)

Sengol’s a tradition that goes back to Mahabharata and before: How Modi connects new India with ancient past

Prime Minister Narendra Modi carries the 'Sengol' in a procession before installing it in the Lok Sabha chamber at the inauguration of the new Parliament building, in New Delhi, on 28 May, 2023. PTI

From terming the events leading to the handing over of the Sengol to Jawaharlal Nehru as ‘baseless fiction’ to the denial of its importance in the transfer of power, the Sengol continues to dominate the narrative to whitewash the adverse publicity it got as the ‘walking stick’ of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Additionally, there is the worry about it being capable of invoking Tamil pride with the elections just a year away. The anxiety of the Congress is evident from the assertion of the TNCC president, KS Alagiri: “Nehru did not prostrate before the Sengol like Modi did. Sengol was crafted by jewellers and given by Adheenakarthars, and so it is not an appropriate symbol for showing reverence to Tamil Nadu or Tamil culture, as the BJP claims to be doing.”

Since a fact-check of the events on 14 August, 1947 is being done by all and sundry, let us focus on the lesser-known facts on certain issues doing rounds. First of all, Sengol was not the prerogative of the Cholas alone. It was also held by the other two Tamil dynasties, namely Chera and Pandya. To be more precise, it was held by all kings across India. This is not to mean that it signified monarchy, rather it was a representation of the Rule of Law or Righteousness. It was known as ‘Dharma Danda’ and expressed so at several places in the Mahabharata.

The earliest talk about it comes from the Ikshvaku king Mandhatri who wanted to know the origin of chastisement. The rules of chastisement known as ‘Danda-Niti’ were associated with the display of a weapon – an upright weapon to ensure justice for all. Those rules were described by Bhishma from an episode on Pururavas, stating that Kshatriyas were created for ruling the earth and for wielding ‘Danda’ – the Rod of chastisement.

The same was repeated by Vyasa to Yudhishthira when he was about to take up the rule of the country. Vyasa listed out twelve things for kshatriyas, of which wielding ‘the rod of punishment’ (Danda-dharanam) was the foremost. “Strength must always reside in a Kshatriya, and upon strength depends chastisement,” said Vyasa. In the same context, Arjuna said, “The man armed with the rod of chastisement governs all subjects and protects them. The rod of chastisement is awake when all else is sleep. For this, the wise have characterised the rod of chastisement to be Righteousness (Dharma) itself.”

Arjuna further elaborated on the contexts where the rod of chastisement was to be used – such as for the protection of wealth, to desist people from sinful behaviour and to discourage actions that bring censure from society.

Thus, basically, the Danda is a staff or a rod or a mace or some stick that is held upright to signify the delivery of what is just and right to everyone without any discrimination. The Kshatriya was chosen due to the strength he possesses to rule and enforce the rule of law. One may ask why not others, but only a Kshatriya. This was asked by Yudhishthira to Bhishma who gave the answer in the affirmative. It was perfectly agreeable if someone from the other orders take up the role and restore the rule of law for the protection of the oppressed, said Bhishma (Mbh: 12-79). It is here we find the importance of wielding the Danda for upholding the law of the land. This makes the very idea of Sengol relevant for our times also and not as a relic of a monarchy.

It is a symbol of authority in a democracy as it was in a monarchy. It is part of the national identity much like the national flag. How many of you know that there is a look-alike of the Sengol (Danda) in the Harappan seals? One can see it in the front of the unicorn in the numerous Harappan seals. Iravatham Mahadevan has done a detailed study of this image in his paper, ‘The cult object on Unicorn seals: A sacred Filter,’ presented in a seminar in Tokyo in 1983. In this paper, he published some rare images of the Indus seals, of which one particular image resembled a paraphrenia of a king or a leader with what appeared to be a Sengol.

In the figure, Plate 1 shows the most commonly seen unicorn seal with an object in front of the animal which is the focus of his discussion. Plates 2,4 and 5 show the same object from different seals. Mahadevan tends to believe that this object is the ‘Soma cup’ or a filter to collect the soma juice. However, he reports the view of another researcher by the name of UP Thaplyal that it represented a standard or Dhvaja or flag post because there was a stem with something on top of it.

Plate 3 is unique in the display of what appears to be a procession of three men carrying a Paaliketana (row of flags), a totem of an animal and a sceptre. This rare image does indicate the presence of a power centre in the Harappan much like any monarchy.

The sceptre seen in this Plate is no different from what is seen in Plate 4 where a man is seen holding it. The shape is similar to the so-called.... continue reading here

Sengol: A pan-India symbol of righteousness (My article in Vijayvaani.com)

My article published in Vijayvaani.com

The Tamil word Sengol has gained national attention following the decision of the Centre to establish it ceremoniously in the newly built Parliament. Lots of information is going around on its symbolism in the transfer of power to Independent India, the meaning of the word, and its origin from a mutt in Tamilnadu. Without touching upon information already circulated on the social media, this article attempts to look into the issues not known to the general public.

First of all, it is not right to attribute the concept of Sengol to the Chola empire alone. Sengol was the symbol of the other two Tamil dynasties too, namely Chera and Pandya. To be more accurate, it had pan-Indian presence as a symbol associated with kings. This does not mean that it signified monarchy; rather it was a representation of the Rule of Law or Righteousness. The text of the Mahabharata is replete with references to the ‘Rod of chastisement’ – known as ‘Danda’ – that was held high by the rulers.

The earliest talk about it was between Vasuhoma and the Ikshvaku king, Mandhatri, who wanted to know the origin of chastisement. A murkier scene of chaos in which there was robbery and the strong ones tormenting the weak was described to show that it resulted in Vishnu creating His own self as chastisement with a Shula (a weapon) in his hand. From that form, having Dharma for its legs, Saraswati, the goddess of speech, created Danda-niti (Science of Chastisement) to restore order and for protection. This is symbolic of saying that rules of do-s and don’t-s for good conduct were laid down and also the punishment for non-adherence of those rules. A weapon (shula) was assigned to signify the same.

Chastisement is again described by the Mahabharata in the words of Bhishma, originally told by Matariswan to Pururavas. In his dialogue with Puraravas, Matariswan clearly stated that Kshatriyas were created for ruling the earth and for wielding ‘Danda’ - the Rod of chastisement.

This purpose was emphasised in too many ways by Vyasa to Yudhishthira when he was hesitant to take up rulership after the war was over.  Vyasa listed out 12 things for kshatriyas namely, yajna, learning, exertion, ambition, wielding ‘the rod of punishment,’ fierceness, protection of subjects, knowledge of the Vedas, practise of all kinds of penances, goodness of conduct, acquisition of wealth, and gifts to deserving persons. “Amongst these, O son of Kunti, wielding the rod of chastisement (Danda-dharanam) has been said to be the foremost,” said he. “Strength must always reside in a Kshatriya, and upon strength depends chastisement.”

In the same scenario, we find Draupadi speaking about the need for Danda – the Rod of chastisement and Arjuna elaborating on that with three objectives for Danda, namely...continue reading here

My talk on Shobhakrit New Year to Mediyaan Channel

 Happy Shobhakrit Varusha pirappu Vaazhtthukkal through

@mediyaannews

Spoken about * Tamil New Year as a Hindu festival * Why Sanskrit names for 60 years. * Why sun's entry into Mesha regarded as New year * Any rationale in claiming Thai as New year?

Did Rama make Sita do Agni Pariksha? (Part 3 of my talk in Viyan Tamil)

Part 1: Ravana, a Tamilian and a Brahmin?

Part 2: Exploring the descent of Ravana from the genetic studies of Srilanka

In Part 3 of my talk on Ramayana in Tamil #ViyanTamil, I replied to the following questions:

* Did Ravana suffer from a curse that would kill him if he misbehaved with a woman? * What is Sanatana in Dharma? * Did Rama make Sita do Agni Pariksha?

My talk in Tamil on Aryan, Dravidian and colonial construct of castes ('Yaatrigan' Channel)

My talk in Tamil in 'Yaatrigan' Channel on the following issues:

*Aryan invasion theory *Arya *Aryavarta *Dravida *Dravida land * Varna * Jaati * Portfolio arrangement of works within the four varnas * Misguided notion about Paraiyar * Colonial construct of caste divisions

Was Ramayana about a war between Shaivism and Vaishnavism? (My talk in 'Yaatrigan' Channel)

 My talk in Yaatrigan Channel on a certain issues around Ramayana. 

Those issues are 

* Was Ramayana about a war between Shaivism and Vaishnavism? 

* The concept and worship of Trimurti-s from astrological point of view.

* Was Ravana a Brahmin?

* Why Agni Pariksha for Sita?  சீதையை சந்தேகப்பட்டாரா ராமன்?

My talk in Tamil about my book "Mahabharata 3136 BCE in 'Yaatrigan' Channel

 

In my talk in Tamil to Yaatrigan YouTube Channel, I spoke on the following issues:

* Why Mb dating needed? * Did Lord Ganesha really write the Mb? * Genesis of Ganesh Chaturthi vrata from Mb * Why Krishna observed Amavasya on 13th tithi (Karna film) * Comet-fall evidence at Mohenjodaro

Exploring the descent of Ravana from the genetic studies of Srilanka (Part 2 of my talk in Viyan Tamil)

Part 1: Ravana, a Tamilian and a Brahmin?

Part 3: Did Rama make Sita do Agni Pariskha?

Part 2 of my talk on #Ramayana series in #ViyanTamil

* Genetic origin of Yakshas of Srilanka

* How they were controlled by Ravana of probable African descent

* Comparison of Balangoda Man with Yakshas

* How Ravana got the name Dashagreeva

* Ravana had no resemblance with Tamil people

Dice Game in the Mahabharata: how was it played? Is Mr. Stalin right in blaming it? (My talk in ViyanTamil Channel)

The dice game in the Mahabharata became the talking point of the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu and some of his partymen, in their response to the Governor of Tamilnadu returning the Bill on banning the online Rummy game. 

Paying no attention to the true causes of the return of the Bill, which are legal in nature, the Chief Minister chose to blame the Governor stating that since gambling was featured in the Mahabharata, the Governor didn't want to sign the Bill that is aimed at banning the online Rummy game. 

This absurd accusation is disputed by me in this talk to #ViyanTamil by showing how the dice game was played as a game of skill in the olden days, by citing evidences from Nala's history and the Mahabharata. When the game was exploited for personal gains, it brought untold misery. In the course of this talk I have explained how the game was played in the Mahabharata, based on the available inputs.

Related article:

MK Stalin: Does the Governor refuse to ban online Rummy because gambling was featured in the Mahabharata?

மகாபாரதத்தில் சூதாட்டம் இருக்கிறது என்பதால் ஆன்லைன் ரம்மியை தடை செய்ய மறுக்கிறார்களா? மு.க.ஸ்டாலின்!

சென்னை: ஆன்லைன் ரம்மியை தடை செய்ய ஒரு சட்டம் கொண்டு வந்து நிறைவேற்றி அனுப்பியதற்கு கூட, இங்கே ஆளுநராக இருப்பவர் ஒப்புதல் அளிக்கவில்லை என்று முதலமைச்சர் மு.க.ஸ்டாலின் விமர்சித்துள்ளார். அதேபோல் மகாபாரதத்தில் சூதாட்டம் இருக்கிறது என்று நினைத்து தடை செய்ய மறுக்கிறார்களா என்றும் மு.க.ஸ்டாலின் சாடியுள்ளார்.

ஆன்லைன் ரம்மி உள்ளிட்ட சூதாட்டங்களால் தமிழ்நாட்டில் தொடர்ந்து தற்கொலை சம்பவங்கள் அதிகரித்ததால் கடந்த அதிமுக ஆட்சியில் 2020ம் ஆண்டு நவம்பரில் அவசர சட்டம் பிறப்பிக்கப்பட்டது. 2021 பிப்ரவரியில் பேரவையில் சட்டம் இயற்றப்பட்டது.

அச்சட்டத்தை எதிர்த்து ஆன்லைன் சூதாட்ட நிறுவனங்கள் தொடர்ந்த வழக்கை விசாரித்த உயர்நீதிமன்றம், அச்சட்டம் செல்லாது என்று கடந்த ஆண்டு ஆகஸ்ட் 3ம் தேதி தீர்ப்பளித்தது.

இதையடுத்து மீண்டும் ஆன்லைன் சூதாட்டங்களை தடை செய்வதற்காக கடந்த ஆண்டு நவம்பா் 3ம் தேதி அவசர சட்டம் கொண்டு வரப்பட்டது. இதைத் தொடா்ந்து, நவ.5ம் தேதி சட்டசபை கூட்டப்பட்டு, மசோதா நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டு ஆளுநரின் ஒப்புதலுக்கு அனுப்பப்பட்டது. அதேசமயம், அவசர சட்டம் அரசிதழில் வெளியிடப்பட்டது. அரசாணை மட்டும் பிறப்பிக்கப்படாமல் இருந்தது. ஆளுநா் கோரியதன் அடிப்படையில், இந்த மசோதா தொடா்பான உரிய விளக்கங்களை அளிக்கப்பட்டது.

ஆனாலும் ஆளுநர் ஆர்என் ரவி ஆன்லைன் சூதாட்ட தடைச் சட்டம் மசோதாவுக்கு ஒப்புதல் அளிக்கவில்லை. இதற்கு காலதாமதம் செய்ததால் கடந்த மாதமே அந்த தடைச் சட்ட மசோதா காலாவதியாகிவிட்டது. சட்டசபையில் தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டதிலிருந்து ஆன்லைன் ரம்மி ஆப்களில் பணம் செலுத்தி விளையாடுவது தவிர்க்கப்பட்டிருந்தது.

இந்நிலையில் தடைச் சட்டம் மசோதா காலாவதியாகி விட்ட நிலையில் தற்போது சட்டம் நிறைவேற்றப்படாததால் மீண்டும் ஆன்லைன் ரம்மி சூதாட்டங்கள் அதிகரித்துள்ளன. இதனால் ஏராளமானோர் சூதாட்டத்திற்கு அடிமையாகி பணத்தை இழந்து தற்கொலை செய்து கொள்ளும் சம்பவங்கள் அதிகரித்துள்ளது. அண்மையில் ஆன்லைன் சூதாட்டத்தில் பணம் இழந்ததால், தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்டவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை 40 கடந்தது.

மகாபாரதத்தில் சூதாட்டம் 

இந்த நிலையில் சென்னையில் நடைபெற்ற முதலமைச்சர் பிறந்தநாள் பொதுக்கூட்டத்தில், ஆன்லைன் சூதாட்டத்திற்கு ஒப்புதல் அளிக்காதது பற்றி மு.க.ஸ்டாலின் பேசியுள்ளார். மத்திய அரசை கடுமையாக விமர்சித்து முதலமைச்சர் மு.க.ஸ்டாலின் பேசுகையில், ஆன்லைன் ரம்மியை தடை செய்ய ஒரு சட்டம் கொண்டு வந்து நிறைவேற்றி அனுப்பினோம். அதற்கு கூட இங்கே ஆளுநராக இருப்பவர் ஒப்புதல் அளிக்கவில்லை. மகாபாரத்தில் சூதாட்டம் இருக்கிறது என்று நினைத்து தடை செய்ய மறுக்கிறார்களா? என்று கேள்வி எழுப்பினார்.

Ravana, a Tamilian and a Brahmin?? (Part 1 of my talk in Viyan Tamil)

Part 2: Exploring the descent of Ravana from the genetic studies of Srilanka

Part 3: Did Rama make Sita do Agni Pariskha?

Part 1 of my talk on Ramayana in # ViyanTamil, focuses on whether Ravana was a Tamilian as claimed by some people.

* Did he speak Tamil? * Had good relationship with Tamil kings? * Did Thamizh muni Agastya help him? * Was he a Brahmin or a Rakshasa?

Sun worship originated in Gunung Padang Megalithic Structure by Magā Brahmins? (Part 4 of Gunung Padang series)

Part 1: ‘Gunung Padang’ megalithic structure an observation platform for Mt. Pushpitaka described in Vālmīki Rāmāyana

Part 2: Was the week-day concept conceived in Gunung Padang Structure (GPS) located on Mt. Suryavān?

Part 3: Shāka Dwīpa was a pre-historic location in SE Asia where the early Tamils thrived and the archaic Vedic society emerged

 

The Gunung Padang Megalithic Structure built on a small extinct volcano which is likely to be Mt. Suryavān (The Mount of the Sun) described in an ancient Hindu text of  Vālmīki Rāmāyana, offers the best location for the origin of Sun-worship. In Part 3 of this series, the description of this region as being part of Shāka Dwīpa was given. Four classes of people namely Magā,  Maśakā,  Mānasā and Mandagā were living in the vast region of Shāka Dwīpa. Of them, the Magā, the Brahmins were credited with having evolved Sun worship known as ‘Saura’ in Hindu texts.

Sun worship started by the Magā Brahmins of Shāka Dwīpa

The beginnings of the Magā Brahmins are given in story form in the Bhaviṣya Purāna. The story is much like how the sages used to give the secrets of the past in weird ways, which however can be solved by deciphering the etymology of the names. (Check HERE for a sample story containing a clever secret on a pre-historic migration route).

Once there lived a rishi (sage) by name Sujihva. Jihva in Sujihva means tongue or speech. So, Sujihva means good-tongued or having good-speech. This is a reference to one who has command over his tongue or who speaks well. Sujihva also refers to fire or God of fire.

He had a daughter, Nikshubha. She was matchless in form and was very beautiful. Here comes a twist in the story. This daughter was thrown into fire by the orders of her father Sujihva! This must make us understand that this is not a story about mortals but about some events in nature.

Nikshepa in Sanskrit means casting away, throwing away, abandoning  or drying. To know what this is about let us continue with the story. While she was being thrown into fire, the Sun, the God of Gods got fascinated by her and wanted to marry her. So, he entered the fire in which she was thrown, and became the son of the fire. Upon this, the girl started jumping over the fire. The result was the birth of a child called ‘Jarashabda’. However, the son of the god of fire was infuriated by her action and accused her of jumping over him when the Sun had not yet risen. Due to this, their son Jarashabda would not be honoured as his son.

Distressed by this, the girl started meditating on the Sun that the child (Jarashabda) in her womb was his (Sun’s) and therefore the Sun must make him worthy of honour. The Sun taking his form as fire granted that the progeny of this son should start worshiping him and preached the method of worship. They should worship with flowers, incense and guggul (benzoin resin) smoke for three times a day – when the Sun was half-risen, at mid-day and at afternoon. Incense and guggul must be offered to the Sun with invocation for 5 times a day.

Those who were thus born of the son of Sun came to be known as Magā. The letter / sound ‘ma’ signifies the Sun. Those who meditated on ‘ma’ came to be called as Magā. There are two versions on how they looked. They had matted hair and grew beard. There is another version in the same text that they shaved their head and kept a tuft of hair.

Decoding the description so far, casting away of the girl Nikshubha in the fire and her jumping on the fire when the sun entered conveys that a dull or dying fire was kept alive by throwing wood or sticks. The entry of the sun refers to the time period when solar heat started getting felt in the southern hemisphere. This happened 14,000 years ago. When the environment was getting warmer, it was possible to get dry wood or sticks for making or keeping fire, which however were not sufficient going by the next input about the birth of the son, Jarashabda. 

Etymologically, Jarashabda refers to old noise, perhaps the cracking noise when half dried wood is thrown into the fire. The story also says that the Sun, though found entering the fire had not yet risen! So, the resultant fire (son of the Sun) made from the wood was lacklustre. This refers to the time of Younger Dryas 12,000 years ago when the sun appeared devoid of heat due to a comet-hit.

This event is encapsulated in the above story and also in the well-known story of Mārtaṇḍa given in other Purāna-s of the Vedic society (brief note here). Check the video: 

The Vedic society retains the memory of 8 Suns so far. Aditi was the Goddess who had borne these 8 Suns. (Aditi = boundlessness, immensity, creative power, perfection). The present Sun is the 8^th. The description of the Suns begins from the 6^th Sun named as ‘Vivasvat’ (= brightness, brilliance). Sometime after it was born, it lost its sheen. In that state, it was regarded as the 7^th Sun. It was there in the sky but remained as though it was still-born. It was known as Mārtaṇḍa  (not dead – na mṛta – but remained in the anda, i.e., womb). After sometime, it regained its brightness and became the 8^th Sun – the sun of the current times (Holocene).

Two Manu-s emerged during the time of the 7th Sun. One of them moved to India and his progeny is known as Mānava-s (another name for Indians). There is no information on the other Manu who was born to Chāya (=shadow). But they continue to live in this world and are going to people the next Manvantara (epoch). They resemble the other Manu and hence they are Sāvarna (= same type)

This Manu seems to have given rise to Shāka Dwīpa Magā Brahmins and other people of Shāka Dwīpa!

To express the above description in simple terms, there came a time of return of the Sun after a long period of chillness. But soon after that the climate turned colder when the sun was seen in the sky but was not hot enough (Mārtaṇḍa). This description matches with the period of Younger Dryas. After some time, the cold days got over and the Sun started becoming hotter. We continue to experience this Sun (Holocene). Two different genetic traits formed in the period of Younger Dryas of which one type moved to India and another stayed in Shāka Dwīpa.

This story seems to be repeated in the Shāka Dwīpa story of the Bhaviṣya Purāna. In the place of Aditi, there is Nikshubha. The sun entering the fire where she was thrown, seems to indicate the period of increasing solar heat that was reaped by mankind to kindle fire. That signifies the onset of first solar radiation after the Ice age. But that phase didn’t last long as it is clearly stated that the Sun had not risen. This is same as what was experienced during Younger Dryas. The people who kept praying for the Sun to emerge with its brilliance came to be known as ‘Magā’ Brahmins.

As per this story, these people were the first to have framed a proper way of meditating on the Sun seeking his brightness. From them was born the Saura (Sun) worship.

Gunung Padang, the location of Sun worship?

Rāmāyana’s description of Mt. Suryavān dedicated to the Sun must have been near the equator. By the name of it, Mt. Suryavān seems to be where  the Saura worship started. The twin peaks (Mt. Pushpitaka) in the same location offering ideal frame of observation of the sun, the moon and the moving sky (as stated in the Vālmīki Rāmāyana), point to the Gunung Padang Megalithic structure as Mt. Suryavān.

The Saura worship also enshrines a dip in water. Facing North and East, the worshiper (Magā Brahmin) must wash his hands and feet up to the knees. He should devoutly come out of water, for, there is Sun, fire and Goddess Saraswati in the water, says Bhaviṣya Purāna. Perhaps this refers to the day time heat of the sun trapped  in water at night and the worshiper feeling the warmth in the water before he started the next morning’s worship of the Sun. Saraswati stands for speech and also represents overflow (of water). According to researchers there was a river running to the north of Gunung Padang.

The GPM structure was in the direction of Northwest – South East with the South east end on a higher plane. There is an arch like appearance on the east side of the GPM according to researchers. This perfectly fits with the worship method of taking a dip in the river in the north and climbing the structure from the east.

The worshiper must enter the House of God and place lotus flowers on the head of Sun. He must worship with sandal water, red-chalk powder, incense and guggul. So, there was an image of the Sun worshiped by the Magā Brahmins. What was it like?

In all likelihood, it could have been in the shape of the Sun – i.e.,  spherical!

That should have been the initial conception of the image of the Sun when Sun worship was started. The discovery of a rolling spherical stone found at a depth of 10 meters in the 5^th terrace at South East could in all probability be the image of the Sun God worshiped at GPM.

‘Rolling Stone’ at GPM

Source: https://www.cryptoanthropologist.com/2016/04/rolling-stone-in-gunung-padang-baffles-researchers.html

It is a free rotating stone ball encased in a triangular stone structure. It could not be taken out easily. A close-up view of the Rolling Stone brings out familiarity with 2 such appearances seen in India. Similar free rolling stone balls are found in the temple architecture of Tamilnadu. For instance, the following figure shows a perfectly spherical stone ball rolling inside the mouth of a mythical animal, Yāḷi.

Rolling Stone in Yāḷi’s mouth in Thirukkurungudi temple (Tamilnadu)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxXzwgFadQI

The ball can be seen from the hole on each side of the cheek and from the open mouth. The mouth is hollow inside. One can insert one’s hand through the mouth and catch hold of the ball and rotate it. It perfectly fits with the hole on the cheek but can never come out. The sculptor had skilfully chiselled within the enclosure. The expertise had existed 1000 years ago in India and many thousands of years ago in Java as seen from the GPM Rolling Stone. The contact between Javanese and Tamil lands of India must have made the exchange of technology possible.

Another similar looking architecture is found in the Kamakhya Temple of Assam, India.

Goddess Kāmakhya

Known as one of the first Adhi Shakti Pīṭha-s (seat of Shakti), it is said to be a burning body part of Sati Devi (wife of Shiva) that had fallen over there. Written about this in Part 1 as a probable fragment of the comet of Younger Dryas. The comparison stops with the physical appearance, but conceptually, Kāmakhya comes under Shākta (Goddess) worship and the GPM rolling stone is fit to come under Saura (Sun) worship. Both originated in South East Asia and almost around the same time because Shakti worship was started by Skanda who lived during Younger Dryas in that region. 

Originally the spherical image of the Sun must have been worshiped at GPM (Mt. Suryavān). With time, any vestige of worship of that image might have gone. Since the location continued to be in use with fresh structures around 11,600 years ago (according Hancock) when Skanda lived, Shākta worship might have happened in the same site. Triangular base is the unique feature of Shākta worship as one can such images in the Shakti temples of India.

The Sun is identified with Lord Shiva and hence the use of the site for Shakti (wife of Shiva) worship could have happened as a natural corollary. Close to GMP is Tugu Gede site, where a 4-metre high menhir is found, which resembles Shiva Linga.

Shiva Linga- like structure at Tugu Gede

From the cultural remains in this place, this is found to have existed from pre-historic times. Even today people worship this after every harvest. The presence of many pre-historic menhirs that resemble Shiva linga in other locations around the region, point out to the simultaneous existence of Sun, Shiva and Shakti worship (associated with or initiated by Skanda) right from the time of Younger Dryas.

In fact, Shiva was the deity of Shāka Dwīpa according to the Mahābhārata version. The breaking-up of the comet of Younger Dryas was supposed to have been done by Skanda by the weapon given to him by Shakti, his mother. These three (worship of Sun, Shiva and Shakti) are part of Shanmata (6 methods of worship) of the Vedic society, by which we understand that these worship methods shifted to India sometime during or after Younger Dryas. This was facilitated by Skanda perhaps, who had his abode in South East India too (in Tiruchendur).

Other Sun worshippers in South East Asia

Apart from Maga Brahmins, a very short statured Vālakhilya-s were also found mentioned in Vedic texts as Sun worshippers. They too had their origins in South east Asia. They were likely to be the descendants of Hobbits of Indonesia (details here). Later on, they moved to the Himalayan region. 

They greeted the Sun at the time of sun-rise at Mt. Udayagiri and meditated on the Sun. Valmiki Ramayana refers to Mt. Udayagiri (Mountain of Sunrise), as the global gateway for sunrise, situated at 90 degrees east of India. The Vishnu Purana locates this mountain in Shāka Dwīpa. This mountain is likely to be Mount Uluigalau of Fiji Islands (derivation HERE)

 

The movement of the Sun is compared with three steps of Lord Vishnu with the first step at Mt. Udayagiri in the east, the second step at  Jambhu Dwīpa (India) and the third step at Mt. Asta Giri (Likely to be Atlas Mountains - derivation here) which is close to the Greenwich Meridian. As per this concept of the Vedic society, the Greenwich Meridian formed the western limit while the Prime Meridian had run across India and the eastern Meridian at Fiji Islands.

The global sunrise location at South East has an interesting parallel with the South East alignment of the GPM. Was it devised deliberately to face the South East direction? The global sun-rise at Mt. Udayagiri (in South East) and the sun-worship by Vālakhilya-s having appeared in Vālmīki Ramayana, there is a clear case for pre-historic beginnings to the recognition of Mt. Udayagiri as the global east for sun-rise. The only difference is that the Vālakhilya-s associated the movement of the Sun with Vishnu while the Magā Brahmins focused on the Sun for worship.

There is yet another location near Mt. Udayagiri in the South East part of the globe where Sun worship was done right from the beginning of Holocene. I am referring to more than 400 Tumuli found throughout the Isle of Pines in New Caledonia close to Fiji.

Tumuli of Isle of Pines used for Sun worship in pre-historic times?

The numerous tumuli found in the Isle of Pines in New Caledonia in the South Pacific are different from the tumuli in other parts of the world in that they are not burial mounds. No graves are found under the tumuli of Isle of Pines. Each tumulus contains a vertical cement block of unknown mixture with a circular shaft running through the center.

New Caledonia and Fiji

Tumulus in New Caledonia

Distribution of tumuli in the Isle of Pines

Source: https://popular-archaeology.com/article/the-mystery-of-the-tumuli/

These mysterious tumuli found so close to the global East (near Mt. Udayagiri) seem be the early locations of meditation on the Sun, going by the etymology of Samvarana who meditated on the Sun.

Samvarana in Sanskrit  means mound or closure or concealment or covering.  The story of king Samvarana who meditated on the Sun to marry his daughter Tapati is given in three chapters of the Mahabharata. In the story of birth of two Manu-s to Vivasvān, the Sun, described earlier, Tapati was the daughter of the Sun born to Chāya – at a time the Sun light was dull (Younger Dryas). Tapati is the name of a river in Central India flowing on the south side of River Narmada. Etymologically it refers to birth from heat. This probably indicates origin from a frozen source which on getting heated by the growing solar radiation gave birth to the river Tapati at the end of Younger Dryas. The story of her marriage with Samvarana is not of a human relationship but of an event of the past given in story form.

By the name Samvarana, it is understood that this person concealed himself in an enclosure or a mound to meditate on the Sun, Vivasvān that was slowly growing in brilliance. At the end of the meditation, he married a woman of the Tapati region and started procreating. Kuru, the ancestor of the Pāndava-s of the Mahābhārata had come in his lineage.

In the story it is said that Samvarana sat upon a mountain and worshiped the Sun with joined palms and upturned face. This reminds us of the tumulus at the Isle of Pines that resemble artificially created mountains. They seem to be the locations of sun-worship. Cement blocks were made with a hole in the middle through which sun light passes through. Barring the hole, the rest of the structure seemed to have been covered with earth so that whoever is sitting inside would experience the streak of sunlight in a dark environment.

The cement-block in the middle of the Tumulus in the Isle of Pines

The outer and inner view of the middle opening through which sunlight passes.

The nature of the cement embedded with turtle shells make me wonder if the method of cement making of the olden times given in Brihat Samhita was somewhat similar to that. The details of cement-making in archaic times are given in chapter 57 from p.501 onwards in this link.

[The olden methods of breaking rocks can be read in the same book in Chapter 54 from verse 112 onwards (page 480) in this link.]  

There is an oral tradition that these mounds are meant for torture, though there is no sign of torture found. But if we apply the meditation method of Samvarana, the one who confined himself within the mound, that set-up must have put him into terrible torture. Once the meditation got over, the worshiper had come out of the mound. It is also very much likely that those early worshipers (like Vālakhilya-s) had shifted to India and Samvarana could have been one from them.

After Samvarana there was no evidence of similar worship of the Sun in India. However,  Saura (Sun) worship gained popularity with the migration of Magā Brahmins of Shāka Dwīpa 5000 years ago. 

 

(To be continued in Part 5)

 

 

Was the week-day concept conceived in Gunung Padang Structure (GPS) located on Mt. Suryavān? (Part 2)

Part 1: ‘Gunung Padang’ megalithic structure, an observation platform for Mt. Pushpitaka described in Vālmīki Rāmāyana

In Part 1of this series, the purpose of Gunung Padang Megalithic Structure (GPM) as an observation platform for Mt. Pushpitaka (Mt. Gede) was discussed based on the Ramayana verses. The surprising element in the Ramayana verses is the absence of mention of the incredible structure at GPM. The text does mention about  two mountains close to each other – Mt. Pushpitaka and Mt. Suryavān – near the equator but there is hardly any reference to the unique man-made structure at GPM that is now found to be in existence for more than 20,000 years. This makes me wonder whether we are missing out anything in understanding the verses properly. Though I proposed the feasibility of Mt. Gunung Nagara Padang as Mt. Suryavān, certain important evidences and inputs from Indic background make me think that GPM could have been Mt. Suryavān – the Mount of the Sun! This write-up focuses on those evidences. 

Javanese interest in astrology – astronomy

Not known to many is the connection between the people of Java and the people of Madurai in Tamilnadu in South India. A Sangam age verse in a text called “Madurai Kānci” dated around 3^rd  century BCE (on the basis of Māngulam and Arittāpatti inscriptions on the Pandyan King Nedumchezhiyan, the King extolled in Madurai Kānci ) refers to the visit of honey-complexioned Javanese to Madurai during a festival in the month of Chiṭṭirai (when the sun was in sidereal Aries).

Madurai Kānci – lines 475 to 481

Meaning: The honey-coloured “Sāvakar” (people of Java) offered flowers and incense to the scholarly people who know the past and the future and can judge the events on the earth and the sky.

The description refers to scholars who were engaged in astronomy related issues. Only astronomers of yore watched the sky and the earth to ascertain the way of Nature. The context is about the city life of Madurai and the astrologers residing in the city. They  were approached by the Javanese people, presumably to know or discuss about astronomy and astrology (which is based on astronomy but connects a result to astronomy events). Presence of astrologers in Madurai is further stated in the text but the specific reference to the Javanese  of meeting scholars of astronomy makes a surprise read. Offer of flower and incense continues to be a practice in Java (and throughout Sundaland) in worship and in paying reverence to others.

This verse gives an impression of presence of astrology – astronomy knowledge in Java in pre-common era, though there is absolutely no evidence of it in Java anytime in the last two millennia. What they probably learned or discussed with the astrologers of Madurai raise some interesting conjectures.

First of all, the time was the month of Chiṭṭirai (Aries) the time of equinox and peak summer in South India. A 7-day festival was going on at that time as per the text, which  continues to be celebrated even today for 10 days and stretching to a month (of Aries). Of particular relevance to Tamil connection was the knowledge of “Hora” that forms the basis of week days and the method of determination of the equinoctial day in another text (Nedunal Vādai) dedicated to the same king, Nedumchezhiyan. Java being a location in Shāka Dwīpa where the early Tamils including Skanda lived, regular communication between the Javanese and the Tamils seemed to have existed at least till 3^rd century BCE.

Did the week-day concept evolve in Gunung Padang?  

Today the 7-day week with similarity in the names of the days is used throughout the world. Though many ancient societies may lay a claim on following the week-days since antiquity, the concept of how the week-days have evolved exists only among the Tamil speakers of the Vedic society. The earliest written evidence is found in Tolkāppiyam, the grammar work of the 3^rd Sangam age that started 3500 years ago, that refers to “Hora” as the basis of time. Pronounced as “Orai” in Tamil this is based on the premise that the day and the night are divided into 12 equal parts of an hour each (24 equal parts in all) known as Hora-s  and named after seven planets.

They are distributed in the order as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury and Moon, and are repeated in this order continuously and endlessly for ever, for ages!! The rationale of this line-up is found in Indic texts such as Surya Siddhānta, as the orbits of planets one below the other. Though this is not true in reality, this appears to be how it could have been perceived by the ancient society by naked eye observation.

Venus and Mercury were considered to be in lower orbits, because they don’t cross the sky and appear low. Moon was rightly perceived to be closer to the earth. From moon to Saturn these celestial entities were arranged in the order as observed and understood by them. That early society thought that these planets (sun and moon are also regarded as planets known as ‘Graha-s’ by the Vedic society even till this date) control each hora of the day one after another.

In a day the hora-s keep moving one after another for 24 horas. The enumeration starts from sunrise. The naming of the week days is done on the basis of the hora at sunrise. For example, if the sun hora is there at the time of sunrise, then the day is called as Sun’s Day – Sunday. If moon hora is present at the time of sunrise, the day is called as Monday. Like this other week days have been named.

In the table given below, the sequence of 24 Horas is shown between one sunrise and another. If a day begins with Sun hora (making it Sunday) then the 25^th hora that comes with the next sun rise is Moon hora which makes the next day Monday! Similarly, the next 25^th hora that comes with next sunrise makes Tuesday and like this other week days have been named. The table given below shows that the naming of the week days as Sunday, Monday, Tuesday etc can happen only if the day begins with (the 25^th hora) Sun hora, Moon hora, Mars hora, Mercury hora, Jupiter hora, Venus hora and Saturn hora respectively for the 7 days and get repeated endlessly.

Distribution of Hora in a week

The truth behind this series is that this works ONLY near the Equator or within the tropical zone (in close degrees to the equator) where every subsequent sun rise comes methodically at the 25^th hora! In other words, this concept of Hora could have been conceived by someone or a society that lived on or near the Equator and seen specific characteristics changing hour-wise (hora-wise) for full 24 hours of the day and also seen that a new sunrise begins at the 25^th hora.

Though this knowledge remains with the Tamil speakers in South India who continue to use it for predictive purposes, the practical observation and conception of this theory could not have happened in South India or in any latitudes in the north or the south owing to the fact that the 25^th hora doesn’t always coincide with the subsequent sunrise in certain months of the year. Looking around the places close to the current location of Tamil speakers (South India) to identify the probable region where the observation of the Hora-week-day concept could have evolved, only the GPM scores as an  ideal location for such observation.

Sun-rise at Gunung Padang (Photo courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tjetjep/15273339116/in/photostream/)

It’s location in Java (Shāka Dwīpa) where the ancestral Indic people (who have spoken Tamil or from whom Tamil emerged) and Skanda (who promoted Tamil through Sangam Assemblies) had lived and its location at 6-degree South of the equator with an ideal environment for watching sun-rise and sun’s sojourn through the sky, had enabled generations of people to not only keenly observe Nature but also observe changes in Nature’s energy with  every passing hour which they named after the seven planets.

The GPM offers an ideal location to observe the movement of the planets in the night sky too. The Ramayana reference to watching sun-rise and moon-rise behind the twin peaks (Gede and Pangrango) does not seem to convey a lazy past time of the pre-historic people but a way of life of a people whose grasp of Nature was far better than what we think of them as being capable.

It is highly probable that the week day concept evolved in Java (Shāka Dwīpa) with GPM as the center of evolution of the concept. From there the week-day concept was taken to India where the early Indic society moved with the arrival of Holocene and the Indian landmass becoming habitable with the spread of tropical heat. The residual presence of sky watchers and astrologers in Java having regular contact with the Tamil speakers of South India as late as the 3rd century BCE goes to prove the connection with Java in the past and presence of astrology- astronomy knowledge going back in time to pre-Holocene days when the earliest Tamil society developed under Skanda in Southern Madurai whose location was discussed in Part 1 of this series

(to be continued)